Automatic Transmission problems of the 2002 Dodge Neon

My 2002 Neon Dodge Neon's transmission went out before 60,000 miles.

While driving on the highway felt a jolt and loss of power. The speedometer then dialed all the way up and then back to zero. Pulled off to check it out, as I slowed down on the offramp heard a crunching sound and the car shut off. Started right back up but wouldn't go into gear, the transmission had locked up! I couldn't even put it in neutral to push it off the offramp. Had it towed to a shop where they put in a used, not new or rebuilt but a used transmissions with 60,000 miles on it for $1,800. The car had 81,000 miles at the time of failure and is barely six years old! I have also had to replace the throttle body and catalytic converter before 75,000 miles. By far the transmission is the most unacceptable component failure. At only 81,000 miles and six years old Dodge needs to recall these automatic transmissions!.

Driving at 49. 9k miles on the odometer. This being 19. 9k miles after warranty expires (30k mile warranty). Just made a long trip from hampton, va to appleton, WI. About a week after arriving in WI, I am heading to work and start to hear a high-pitched whine. Within about 10 minutes of hearing this whine, I was able to pull into a park and ride just as the car stopped moving. I was still able to rev the engine, but no acceleration. I placed the car into park and turned it off. I started it back up, and still could not get the car to move. Placed the car into neutral, and the car still would not move when I tried to push it. Found out, after car was towed to an auto shop, that a pinion bolt inside the transmission (2002 model) had broken off and was the cause to the seizure of the vehicle. If I had been driving down the highway, and this had happened, the car would have stopped in the middle of the highway and been the cause of a serious accident that, thankfully, was avoided in this instance. New transmission (2006 model) installed. The new safety feature for this model is that it has metal plates (brackets) around the offending bolt so that this does not happen. Semi-off topic: if they (the manufactures of the transmission, and subsequently the dealerships that sell the vehicle) knew this was an issue (apparent from the introduction of the metal plates for the bolt) why was it not announced and corrected while under warranty for those that have bought the vehicle in 2002?.

While at a stop vehicle would not accelerate. Vehicle was towed. Dealership was notified, but did not resolve the problem.

Consumer was driving at 65 mph and the vehicle jumped into passing gear. Consumer stated that last week while driving on the highway a truck was behind him and he needed to get more speed, so he stepped on the gas pedal to accelerate, however the vehicle did not respond, then it stalled. He kept telling the dealer about this problem and will take the vehicle back to dealer to have it checked again. Also, while driving, the vehicle jumped from 65-68 mph back and forth. The power train was repaired three times. When the consumer applied the brakes, the vehicle would stall and or jump and have almost run into other vehicle's. The consumer requested the vehicle to be remedied or reimbursement.

While driving 45 to 50 mph and approaching a traffic light, the transmission would down shift when the brakes were applied. This also caused the vehicle to shut down intermittently.